Regarding an automatic document feeder (hereinafter, referred to as ‘ADF’) provided for an image reading apparatus, an apparatus of which an apparatus upper surface covering is configured by two moveable members arranged at adjacent positions has been known.
The related-art apparatus has a cover member and a discharge tray, each of which is configured to be rotatable. When the apparatus is not used, the cover member and the discharge tray form an outer covering of the apparatus. At the state where the apparatus is not used, one end of the discharge tray adjacent to the cover member is put on an upper side of one end of the cover member adjacent to the discharge tray. That is, the one end of the cover member and the one end of the discharge tray have parts overlapping with each other in an upper and lower direction. At this state, the cover member restricts the discharge tray from being rotated in a direction along which the one end of the discharge tray is moved downwards.
On the other hand, when using the apparatus, the cover member is rotated in an opening direction. At this time, the cover member is rotated in a direction along which the one end of the cover member is moved downwards. At this time, as described above, the restriction of the discharge tray by the cover member is released, so that it is rotated in the direction along which the one end of the discharge tray is moved downwards.
However, when the above-described structure is adopted, if the discharge tray is pressed from above at the state where the cover member and the discharge tray form the outer covering of the apparatus, the force is applied from the discharge tray, so that the one end-side of the cover member is moved in a downward direction and the cover member may be thus opened.
For this reason, the cover member is abruptly opened against an intention of a user who does not know that the cover member is opened when the discharge tray is pressed.